2016 Jaguar XJ

After a brief pause during which it built no vehicles, Jaguar is transitioning to an all-electric luxury brand. In years past, Jaguar was best known for its legendary sports cars, including the E-Type of the ‘60s and ‘70s, and luxurious sedans such as the XJ. The brand was reborn under Ford’s ownership in the 1990s, then sold to India’s Tata Group where it was merged with Land Rover. Eventually, big cars with wood-and-leather interiors gave way to sportier, fun-to-drive models including some compact and midsized SUVs. Jaguar’s first attempt at an EV, the I-Pace, failed to keep up with the competition, and the XF sedan continued on for years without major updates. Both Jaguar and Land Rover share some parts and underlying vehicle designs. Neither brand has shed its reputation for reliability issues, which makes it difficult to recommend used models—even though the XE and XF still offer impressive driving excitement and luxury.

The somewhat radically styled 2011 redesign is much nicer than the model it replaces, making the big Jaguar a capable, comfortable, and fun-to-drive sports sedan offering a range of powerful V8s. We like the power and the plush appointments, but are unimpressed with the complex, slow-acting touchscreen. With seating for four, headroom is a little skimpy -- particularly in the back seat. Trunk space is also a bit lacking for a car of this size. Available safety equipment includes adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. All-wheel drive was added as an option for the 2013 model year. A new XJR performance version, along with many safety features, were added to the 2018 model. The big cat made its final appearance for 2019.